Employment Associate

Withers; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 205,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Withers on the West Coast seeks an employment lawyer to counsel executives and employers on employment law within corporate transactions and executive compensation. You will help build a nationwide counseling practice and mentor associates across teams globally.

The role emphasizes advisory work over litigation, with regular office attendance in California and collaboration with senior leadership to serve clients locally and internationally.

Qualifications

• Strong drafting, writing, research and communication skills.
• Experience with multi-state compliance for employers.
• Bar membership (in good standing) required in California.

Responsibilities

• Counsel clients on executive compensation and employment law matters, in mergers, financings, and corporate transactions.
• Advise on executive compensation including long-term incentive and severance agreements.
• Negotiate employment agreements and other employment documents for executives and employers.
• Counsel employers on employment compliance with federal, state and local laws.
• Assist with pre-litigation disputes and non-class action litigation when needed.

Skills

Drafting and writing

Legal research

Communication skills

Project management

Multistate compliance

Team player

Attention to detail

Executive counseling

Education

J.D. degree

Job description

The Employment Team

We are building a diverse employment practice across the US. Our employment team works closely with founders, CEOs and other executives as they build their careers. We are in the process of developing and scaling this practice nationally and globally. In addition to working with some of the brightest, most innovative entrepreneurs, executives, and professionals in the world, we work with start-ups, businesses and others on the full range of issues that arise during the employee life-cycle. Our practice serves local, national and international interests and works closely with other teams within our firm to provide full-service representation.

The Employment Team

We are building a diverse employment practice across the US. Our employment team works closely with founders, CEOs and other executives as they build their careers. We are in the process of developing and scaling this practice nationally and globally. In addition to working with some of the brightest, most innovative entrepreneurs, executives, and professionals in the world, we work with start-ups, businesses and others on the full range of issues that arise during the employee life-cycle. Our practice serves local, national and international interests and works closely with other teams within our firm to provide full-service representation.

Our employment team is a close-knit, dynamic group; we work together to deliver exemplary legal services. Our employment partners have deep experience working with executives and other employees, as well as employers on a wide range of issues. We have a strong focus on mentoring and training associates and believe the best teams are those that value all opinions and focus on growing together.

Experience representing founders or executives is not required. What is most important is that you have a passion for counseling clients and a strong background in employment law counseling relating to management through all stages of the employee life-cycle, drafting agreements and employment documents, and an ability to work with a diverse client base. This is an ideal opportunity for an employment lawyer who wants to build a career in counseling as opposed to litigation. This is also an opportunity for you, should you wish to do so, to leverage your employment law expertise advising companies by building a nationwide counseling practice for our clients and working with our international employment lawyers.

We are confident you will find it a personally rewarding practice and we look forward to mentoring you in this practice area.

The Role

This is an opportunity for you to play a key role as we build this exciting practice. This is the ideal opportunity if you are someone who has gained masterful skills counseling companies in the area of Employment Law Counseling and you are ready to leverage those skills working directly with the top leaders in the US and globally.

This role will be based in one of our west coast offices with regular attendance in the office.

The Successful Candidate Will

• Counsel clients on executive compensation and employment law matters, in the context of mergers and acquisitions, financings, and other corporate transactions.
• Provide advice on executive compensation including long-term incentive compensation; deferred compensation; employment, change in control, and severance agreements.
• Advise and negotiate employment agreements, separation agreements, restrictive covenants, agreements and other employment documents, on behalf of executives and employers.
• Advise and counsel employers on employment compliance with federal, state and local laws.
• Assist with pre-litigation disputes.
• Spend a small portion of time working on non-class action litigation matters.
• Writing articles/posts, attend events/conferences and build networks with private wealth contacts/intermediaries including global and peer firms and counsel.

This list of duties and responsibilities is not exhaustive. It is intended to describe the general content of, and requirements for the performance of this job, and as such, the role may also include the undertaking of additional tasks as required.

Key Skills And Experience

• Strong academic credentials (J.D. required);
• Between 3 – 5 years of experience practicing in a law firm's employment group;
• Experience providing employment compliance advice and counsel to employers preferred;
• Bar membership (in good standing) required in California (other states will be considered);
• Excellent drafting, writing, research and communication skills;
• Experience with multi-state compliance for employers;
• Strong project management with an ability to balance a large number of competing priorities;
• In-depth analytical ability and intellectual curiosity;
• Highly polished communication skills;
• Attention to detail; and
• Team Player

For California, the expected salary range for this position is between $205,000 and $260,000. The actual compensation will be determined based on experience and other factors permitted by law.

Business Division

Our Corporate, Technology, Real Estate, Intellectual Property and Charities do sophisticated and ground-breaking work in areas such as mergers and acquisitions, brands, intellectual property, hotels, investment funds, sponsorship and partnerships. As a leader in advising successful people around the world we understand the unique issues surrounding private capital. This can range from investment, structuring and control of cross-border investments to corporate and personal tax issues.

About Withers

A law firm focused on people, performance, and collaboration.

For the past 130 years, we have supported some of the world’s most remarkable people and organizations at defining moments in their lives.

We are united in our commitment to integrity, quality and collaboration. We have a culture of high performance and deliver excellent service consistently across the firm. We provide tailored solutions built on trust and partner with our clients to achieve their goals.

Many of our clients are shaping the future and creating solutions to tackle many of the world’s problems. It makes for a fascinating and challenging practice.

Our role is to get to know each individual client, find out where they want to be, and help them to get there – whether they are building a business, buying a home or protecting and defending their interests.

To meet their unique needs we are exceptionally collaborative, working together across teams and time zones. And we are agile – focusing on strategy rather than rigid ideas and traditional hierarchy.

Join us to be part of a team that is always looking to the future. Where initiative, big ideas and bold moves are always encouraged. Where you can truly be yourself.

For more information on Withers, please visit the following links: General Career Site, LinkedIn, About Us

Equal Opportunities Employment Statement

The firm is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Equal employment opportunity has been and will continue to be a fundamental principle at the firm. Employment at the firm is based upon personal capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. The firm prohibits and will not tolerate any discrimination or harassment on the basis of any of these classifications or characteristics.

If you are interested in applying for employment and need special assistance or an accommodation to use our website to apply for a position, please contact the firm at [phone] or email [e-mail] with your request. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation are made on a case-by-case basis.